A COVID-19 testing company with a location in Falls Church is the subject of numerous complaints from across the U.S. about its practices.
Attorneys general offices from Minnesota to Washington state have gotten complaints about testing sites run by the Center for COVID Control, according to USA Today. Reported issues have included results being delayed or not sent at all, and participants receiving identical QR codes for results from a lab at one testing center in Houston.
Center for COVID Control only has one testing site in Northern Virginia, located at 821 W Broad Street in Falls Church. A representative from the company said it’s in a parking lot for a dermatology business.
The Fairfax County Health Department, Virginia Department of Health, and state attorney general’s office said they’ve received no complaints about the business, which says it provides free testing at over 275 locations.
The company’s Twitter also says it provides rapid tests for $100.
However, local residents have expressed concerns on Nextdoor, and the company has received complaints from the Better Business Bureau stating that the centers asked to see individuals’ driver licenses and didn’t send results. One person questioned the timestamps on the results.
“Was the testing actually done? Is the result accurate?” the person wrote.
The need for testing comes as Fairfax County averages three times more coronavirus cases this January than it did during last winter’s peak.
The company didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Neither the county nor the state health department sanctions testing sites, but VDH has a map of locations that provide testing, and users can filter by free testing sites.
Virginia also plans to add nine community testing centers across the state, including one in Fairfax County, that will provide free PCR tests.
VDH spokesperson Cheryle Rodriguez said that individuals should immediately report any suspected COVID-19 health care fraud through an online form or by calling 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The Office of the Attorney General said if people believe they have a complaint against a business, they should reach out to its Consumer Protection Section.
Fairfax County Public Library has received a new shipment of rapid COVID-19 testing kits, but supplies are extremely limited, even compared to previous rounds of distribution.
Exactly 300 kits each will be available tomorrow (Wednesday) at the county’s Reston, George Mason, Chantilly, and Sherwood regional branches, FCPL announced this morning (Tuesday).
Because of the limited availability, each household will only be allowed to take up to four kits.
FYI #Fairfax: a limited supply of COVID-19 test kits will be available at Reston, George Mason, Chantilly & Sherwood regional libraries when they open Wed. at 10 a.m. Only 300 tests available at each so only 4 per household while supplies last. More info: https://t.co/fmCINLMzDl pic.twitter.com/ekg6F331iy
— Fairfax Library (@fairfaxlibrary) January 11, 2022
This is the first testing kit shipment of the year for Fairfax County as part of the Virginia Department of Health’s ongoing Supporting Testing Access through Community Collaboration pilot program.
FCPL has now gotten 35,862 kits since it joined the program on Dec. 1.
Shipments had stalled over the winter holidays due to government closures and supply-chain issues that have made rapid tests hard to obtain nationwide.
FCPL doesn’t have a timeline right now for its next shipment, advising community members to check its website and call their local branch for up-to-date information on testing availability.
“All we can do is make requests, and VDH fulfills them as they are able,” spokesperson Erin Julius said. “At this time we don’t know when the next will arrive or how many test kits it will contain.”
Demand for Covid testing remains high in Fairfax County, which is currently averaging 2,275 new cases a day. Details about a state-run community testing center coming to the county are expected to be announced this week.
The McLean Project for the Arts will give community members an opportunity later this month to hear from the artists behind its current exhibitions.
Scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 20, the virtual artist talk will include wood sculptors Emilie Benes Brzezinski, Rachel Rotenberg, Foon Sham, and Norma Schwartz, whose work is featured in the exhibit “Give and Take: Building Form” currently on display in the nonprofit’s Emerson Gallery.
Artist Sheila Crider will also participate. Her exhibition, “Intersectional Painting: Works by Sheila Crider,” occupies the Atrium Gallery.
Advance registration is required to receive a Zoom link for the talk.
Here are MPA’s descriptions of its winter exhibitions, which launched on Dec. 2:
Give and Take: Building Form (Emerson Gallery)
Featuring abstract wood sculpture by Emilie Benes Brzezinski, Rachel Rotenberg, Foon Sham and Norma SchwartzFeaturing dynamic abstract sculptural works by four artists who work primarily in wood, this exhibit will explore each artist’s personal vision along with their methodology of making. By employing varying degrees of adding and subtracting material-laminating or carving, sawing and sanding-these artists build form by either giving or taking away. With this mind, process is highlighted, understood and demonstrated with an eye towards clarifying the genesis and emergence of form.
Intersectional Painting: Works by Sheila Crider (Atrium Gallery)
Artist Sheila Crider will exhibit works from an on-going series that combines painting, drawing, braiding, stitching and weaving to create three-dimensional abstract forms. Through these works, which are both beautiful and evocative, Crider has found an inventive and original process that enables her to visually explore multiple intersections between material, place, tradition, race, gender, history, culture, narrative, art, painting, object and picture.
The exhibits will remain available for viewing both in person and online through Feb. 19. The Emerson Gallery is open to visitors from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
Both galleries are located in the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue), which requires all visitors to wear face masks. The exhibitions are also limited to six viewers at a time to encourage social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to MPA’s website.
MPA is also currently accepting proposals for solo spring exhibitions, and registration is now open for winter and spring art classes.
Aritizia is now in business at Tysons Corner Center.
The Canadian fashion brand had a soft opening for its boutique at the mall — its first in Virginia — just before Christmas, but the arrival wasn’t officially announced by Tysons Corner Center until Thursday (Jan. 6).
“Aritzia is such a great brand to have at Tysons Corner Center,” Lindsay Petak, the mall’s senior marketing manager, said in a statement. “The Canadian-based retailer has gained such a large brand following with their offering of beautiful, everyday luxury fashion in aspirational spaces with exceptional service.”
Located in between Banana Republic and the Tesla showroom, the 7,741 square-foot retail store features a private shopping room and employs a dedicated “style advisor” who can provide one-on-one, personalized service to customers.
Aritzia sells various types of clothing, from T-shirts and blazers to accessories, shoes, and face masks. It launched in a department store in Vancouver, Canada, before the family that owned the store opened the first standalone boutique in 1984, according to the company website.
Aritzia operates more than 100 boutiques across North America. The new Tysons Corner store is part of a larger effort to expand the retailer’s presence in the U.S., which now has 40 stores, including one in Georgetown.
“We are thrilled about this new location [at Tysons Corner] as we continue to expand across the U.S.,” Aritzia spokesperson Marianna Lozowska said.
Aritzia’s arrival comes during a period of transition for Tysons Corner Center.
Property owner Macerich is gearing up for Phase 2 of its development plans, which will add office, retail, residential, and plaza space where the former Lord & Taylor store and a nearby parking garage are currently situated.
More immediately, anchor store L.L. Bean is set to close up shop next Monday (Jan. 17) after more than two decades at the mall. However, online rumors that Barnes & Noble is also on the way out are unfounded, according to both a store employee and the company.
“Our lease has not expired and we plan on continued operation and serving our Tysons customers,” Barnes & Noble’s public relations team told Tysons Reporter.
FFXnow will officially launch next month as a new Fairfax County-wide news source and home to hyperlocal coverage of the Tysons and Reston areas.
Our Reston Now and Tysons Reporter sites will be folded into FFXnow, though each will maintain its brand identity as separate social media accounts and daily email newsletters focused on their respective coverage areas. The archives of those sites will also remain, for now, on their current domains.
Three full-time journalists will helm FFXnow’s coverage, which we eventually plan to expand to additional hyperlocal reporting areas within the county. Reston Now and Tysons Reporter readers can expect the same local coverage on which they’ve come to depend over the years, but with more coverage of county government and other countywide issues.
FFXnow will provide local government, development, business and breaking news, like our sister sites ARLnow and ALXnow do in Arlington and Alexandria, respectively. All three sites are publications of Northern Virginia-based Local News Now, which also today announced additional business partnerships and a key editorial leadership hire.
Readers can sign up for the FFXnow daily newsletter ahead of the official launch.
Snow Exacerbates Regional Grocery Supply Issues — “Icy roads and the after-effects of last week’s snowy weather have stripped the shelves at local grocery stores in recent days, compounding supply chain crises that have been in the news for months, says one potato supplier.” [DCist]
County Gives Covid Relief to Businesses — “The Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives announced today that it has awarded more than $16,000,000 in PIVOT grant funds to 1,016 Fairfax County businesses adversely affected by the pandemic. Businesses in the most hard-hit sectors of the Fairfax County economy, including hotel, food service, retail and personal services, and arts and culture industries, were targeted.” [Fairfax County DEI]
FCPS Adopts Updated Covid Quarantine Guidelines — Fairfax County Public Schools has adopted most of the new federal guidelines for COVID-19 isolations and quarantines, allowing staff who test positive to return to work after five days if symptoms are gone or improving. Students must still isolate for 10 days, since school cafeterias don’t have room for social distancing. [Patch]
Christmas Tree Collection Extended — “Christmas tree collection has been extended through January 21, 2022, for recycling. Lights, decorations, and stands must be removed to ensure collection. After January 21, please schedule a brush Special Pickup to have the Christmas tree removed.” [DPWES]
Vienna Starts New Water Main Project Today — “Glen Ave. will be closed to through traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Albrecht Circle and Wade Hampton Dr. to allow for installation of a new water main. Detours during those hours will last for 3 weeks or until the project is complete.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Fairfax County’s General Assembly delegation could get a serious shake-up in upcoming elections.
Virginia’s new redistricting maps, which were unanimously approved by the state Supreme Court late last month, created four open General Assembly seats, while pairing some long-time incumbents.
The maps also altered U.S. House of Representatives electoral boundaries. They are in effect for the 2022 general election, which will have members of Congress and the state Senate on the ballot.
Intended to reflect population changes shown by 2020 Census data, the maps were drawn by two court-appointed “special masters” — one Democrat and one Republican — after a nonpartisan commission failed to complete the task. It was a contentious process in comparison to Fairfax County’s redistricting efforts last year.
Under the new maps, there are three open seats representing Fairfax County in the House of Delegates and one open seat in the state Senate, according to analysis by the nonprofit Virginia Public Access Project:
House of Delegates
- District 11, which is bounded by Hunter Mill and Lawyers roads in Oakton to the north and Braddock Road past Fairfax City to the south
- District 15, which encompasses Burke up north to Little River Turnpike and reaches the Loudoun County border to the south
- District 19, which follows Telegraph Road starting in Hayfield and includes Lorton, Mason Neck, and parts of Prince William County
Senate
- District 33, which covers Burke into Prince William County
The county’s Congressional districts for Reps. Don Beyer, Jennifer Wexton, and Gerry Connolly remain intact, though with District 10 shifting further south, Wexton now represents a smaller portion of county residents than before.
However, at the state level, four House and two Senate districts now have incumbents living within the same district lines, requiring them to make a choice: run in a primary against a colleague, move to another district, or retire.
Throughout the redistricting process, the special masters said aligning with incumbents’ residences was not a priority compared to other considerations, like compactness and preserving communities of interest.
“It’s a challenge for any incumbent when paired with a colleague after redistricting, especially within the same political party, to decide whether he or she should continue on or call it a day for the public service,” said George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government professor David Ramadan, a former delegate himself. “Bottom line, this is politics, and each member is going to do what that member thinks is best for them.”
Long-time incumbents Kathleen Murphy and Richard “Rip” Sullivan have been paired in a district that extends from the Arlington to Loudoun county lines, encompassing McLean, Great Falls, and Wolf Trap.
The district includes mostly Murphy voters, according to VPAP. A McLean resident, Sullivan’s previous territory of House District 48 also represented parts of Arlington.
This district encompasses Falls Church City, Idylwood, Merrifield, and the Fairfax County side of Seven Corners, extending south past Lake Barcroft to Columbia Pike.
Most residents are currently represented by Marcus Simon, but there are also some constituents of Kaye Kory.
After criticizing the draft maps for “trying to be cute” in early December, Simon said after the finalized maps came out that he is looking “forward to continuing to represent Fairfax County and Falls Church in the General Assembly for many years to come.”
Covering Springfield down to the Occoquan and the Loudoun County border, this district pairs outgoing Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn and Delegate Kathy Tran.
The newly formed district mostly consists of Tran’s constituents, potentially leaving the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House in Virginia vulnerable even in a primary.
Dan Helmer and David Bulova are paired in a district that includes Centreville and Clifton, extending to the Loudoun County border. Bulova was first elected in 2006, while Helmer took office more recently in 2019.
Helmer, whose voters make up a majority of the district, said that he looks “forward to continuing to fight for our values in the future.” FFXnow also reached out to Bulova, but has yet to hear back as of publication.
Rumors have emerged that Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw could be retiring after being drawn into the same district as Senator Dave Marsden. Saslaw, who’s served in the Senate since 1980, has not announced any intention as of yet.
Marsden plans to run for reelection in the district, which has Springfield, Annandale, Lake Barcroft, and George Mason. He told FFXnow that he and Saslaw have spoken about the situation, but declined to give details beyond that.
Marsden says compacting the district into Fairfax County, as opposed to it extending into Alexandria and Prince William County, makes the job easier for him and reduces the need to commute to various events.
However, he believes pairing incumbents will cost the General Assembly experienced lawmakers.
“We count on those who’ve been there for years,” he said. “They help and teach you. This is a part-time job and we need that. We could lose…legislators with lots of institutional knowledge.”
FFXnow contacted Saslaw, but hasn’t heard back as of publication.
Janet Howell and Jennifer Boysko face a similar situation in this district that covers Herndon, Reston, McLean, and Great Falls up to the Potomac River.
There’s been some retirement talk around Howell, a veteran of the Senate since 1992. Boysko is a relative newcomer, first elected to the House of Delegates in 2016 and to the Senate in 2019.
Boysko says compacting the district and bringing Herndon and Reston back together “makes more sense,” but she laments being put in competition with Howell, who she describes as “the dean of the Senate” and a “true pioneer for women in government.”
Howell hasn’t responded to a request for comment from FFXnow, but Boysko says they have spoken.
“There’s an ongoing dialogue between the two of us,” she said. “I think the world of her.”
Nonetheless, Boysko says she plans on running again and winning.
When lawmakers convene for the next session later this month, redistricting will certainly be a topic of conversation, Ramadan says.
“Colleagues sitting next to each other that have the same interests in legislation are now going to have it in the back of their minds as well: ‘Oh, I’m running against this person, possibly, in a primary,’” he said. “That’s going to change the atmosphere and it’s going to look like a totally different legislative session than a regular session.”
Fairfax County has a new single-day record for COVID-19 infections.
According to the Virginia Department of Health, the county reported 3,463 new cases on Saturday (Jan. 8), surpassing the previous daily record of 3,111 cases set on Dec. 31. Before Dec. 22, the county had only seen more than 1,000 cases in a day once — on Jan. 17, 2021.
Now, with an additional 1,938 cases coming in today (Monday), the county is averaging 2,168 cases a day for the past week. That is the highest weekly average of the pandemic, even after cases dipped during the middle of last week, when a snowstorm closed some testing and vaccination sites.
In total, the Fairfax Health District, which includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, has recorded 141,395 cases, 4,338 hospitalizations, and 1,260 deaths due to the disease caused by the coronavirus.
While hospitalizations remain relatively low in Fairfax County, which is currently averaging 4.7 a day, Virginia as a whole reported an all-time, single-day high on Friday (Jan. 7), prompting Gov. Ralph Northam to declare a state of emergency today to increase bed and staffing capacities.
Inova Health Systems, which serves Northern Virginia, admitted 94 patients with Covid last week after averaging fewer than 10 a week between April and Christmas last year, according to Northam, who emphasized that the majority of people being hospitalized with the disease have not been vaccinated.
“Vaccines work, plain and simple,” the governor said. “To protect yourself, to stay out of a hospital, get vaccinated.”
According to FCHD data, 938,926 Fairfax Health District residents have gotten at least one vaccine dose, amounting to 79.3% of the population. That includes 89% of adults, 94% of 16 and 17-year-olds, 89.3% of people aged 12-15, and 44.7% of children aged 5-11.
As of today, 832,236 residents — 70.3% of the population — are fully vaccinated, including 79.7% of adults. According to the VDH, 32.3% of Fairfax County residents have received a booster or third dose, including 40.8% of adults.
Demand for Covid testing has soared in the wake of the omicron variant’s arrival. The district’s seven-day moving average has jumped from 2,481 daily encounters on Nov. 28 to 5,292 encounters as of Jan. 6, when nearly a third of tests — 32.8% — came back positive.
With many testing sites booked days, even weeks in advance, Gov. Ralph Northam announced last week that VDH will open nine community testing centers across the state in coming weeks, including one in Fairfax County.
According to the announcement, the facility will be at or near the mass vaccination site that has been operating out of the former Lord & Taylor store at Tysons Corner Center since October, but the county health department said on Friday (Jan. 7) that it couldn’t confirm the exact location yet, since the contracts were still being finalized.
The county did confirm that the testing site will provide drive-thru PCR testing services and require appointments, with the capacity to administer about 500 tests a day, five days a week.
“PCR test results are usually available within a few days and are very effective in detecting an active COVID-19 infection, even if asymptomatic,” FCHD spokesperson Tina Dale said by email.
More details about the facility, including the location, opening date, and how to make an appointment, are expected to be announced early this week.
For now, Fairfax County has a range of testing options at local pharmacies, health care providers, and other community sites. Inova and the county health department also offer testing for people who are symptomatic, though the county hasn’t shared dates for its mobile lab yet.
(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) Fairfax County Public Library will close on Sundays and Mondays starting this coming Sunday (Jan. 16) through April 1 to deal with a staffing shortage.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said on Twitter this morning (Monday) that the changes were prompted by staffing issues due to the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases and recruitment challenges.
FCPL confirmed that all of its branches will be closed on Sundays and Mondays for the near-future in a news release:
- Regional libraries: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays
- Community libraries: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays
- Access Services branch located at the Fairfax County Government Center will maintain its usual hours from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays
Libraries will remain open for regular hours Tuesdays through Saturdays.
All libraries will remain open for their regularly scheduled hours Tuesday through Saturday.
Regional library locations: Tuesday-Wednesday 10AM-9PM and Thursday-Saturday 10AM- 6PM.
Community library locations: Tuesday 10AM- 9PM and Wednesday-Saturday 10AM- 6PM.— Dalia Palchik (@SupvPalchik) January 10, 2022
“The current surge in COVID-19 cases and a high number of vacancies necessitated this change in hours,” FCPL spokesperson Erin Julius confirmed to FFXnow.
Fairfax County is currently averaging 2,168 cases per day, more than at any other point in the pandemic. That’s three times the peak case rate seen last winter, when the library system was still limited to online and curbside pickup services.
The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.
We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!
Monday, Jan. 10
- Amateur Art! — 6-8 p.m. at Dolley Madison Library (1244 Oak Ridge Ave.) — Explore your creativity. Supplies provided. Registration required.
Tuesday, Jan. 11
- The Overtones — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave East) — An a cappella group tied to James Madison University performs music worthy of Hollywood and Nashville. Cost is $15. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 12
- Chair & Mat Yoga Class — 10-11 a.m. virtually — Traditional yoga incorporates a chair as part of a relaxing meditation.
Thursday, Jan. 13
- Virtual Storytime Fun (Online) — 10:30-11 a.m. — The Dolley Madison Library children’s librarians bring songs, activities, and stories to your home.
Friday, Jan. 14
- The Daryl Davis Band — 7 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — Pianist Daryl Davis kick off a weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. events, which includes Davis speaking at 2 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 16). Cost starts at $20.
- Make Me Happy — 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Falls Church Arts Gallery (700-B W. Broad St.) — Check out the works of three dozen artists, centered on works that make people smile. Free. Continues through Jan. 30.
Saturday, Jan. 15
- Mosaic Polar Plunge 2022 — 1:15 p.m. at Strawberry Park — Help fundraise for Special Olympics Virginia with this frigid and fun water plunging event at the Mosaic District.
Sunday, Jan. 16
- “Traveling While Black” — noon-6 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — A virtual reality movie shows participants’ part in the struggle for racial justice. One-hour appointments are available for the exhibit, which runs through Feb. 12.
